In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Meghan Murphy, Sustainability Manager at Bundschu Company.

Meghan Murphy serves as the Sustainability Manager for the Bundschu Company, a role she began in July 2020. She oversees sustainability initiatives across multiple of their brands, including Gundlach Bundschu Winery and Abbot’s Passage Winery & Mercantile. Meghan graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a degree in Sociology and holds a Master’s in Global Sustainability and Climate Change from the University of South Florida.

Meghan’s achievements include being named one of Wine Enthusiast’s Future 40, recognizing her as a tastemaker shaping the future of the drinks industry. Her leadership has been pivotal in guiding the Bundschu family’s ranches to organic farming and achieving Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) status for 304 acres at Rancho Agua Caliente and Rhinefarm vineyards, both located in Sonoma Valley.

Meghan’s passion for sustainability was sparked in Haiphong, Vietnam, where she witnessed both the beauty of vibrant agriculture and the harsh reality of pollution from Western garbage barges. This experience fueled her dedication to regenerative agriculture, which she sees as a way to cultivate stronger vines and resilient ecosystems. By shifting the focus from just grape production to nurturing the entire vineyard ecosystem, Meghan has revolutionized the company’s winegrowing approach.

The Bundschu Company is the Bundschu family’s parent organization overseeing various ventures. The company is dedicated to sustainability, innovation, and preserving its legacy while fostering new opportunities in agriculture and hospitality. They have ownership over Gundlach Bundschu Winery, GUNBUN, Abbot’s Passage Winery and Mercantile, Huichica Music Festival, and Bundschu Winery and Vineyard Service.

History of the Bundschu Family: A Century Club Family

The Bundschu family has been farming in Sonoma County since 1858, establishing a remarkable six-generation legacy on Rhinefarm as the oldest family-owned winery in California. It began with Jacob Gundlach, who planted the estate’s first vineyards after a journey from Germany, farming their first grapes in 1860. Notable figures like Charles Bundschu joined in 1868, contributing to innovations like grafting disease-resistant rootstocks to defeat Phylloxera, and championing California wines internationally.

Through hardships from the 1906 earthquake to Prohibition, the family persevered, rebuilding their winery and replanting vineyards multiple times. The modern era saw revitalization under Jim Bundschu, with the reopening of the Gundlach Bundschu Winery in 1973. In 2016, the family expanded their legacy by creating Abbot’s Passage.

Today, the sixth generation (including siblings Jeff, Katie, and Rob, Jeff’s wife Liz and Rob’s wife Zeynep) continues the family tradition, earning accolades for sustainable and organic farming practices, including Regenerative Organic Certified® status and being honored with one of Wine Enthusiast’s top 100 wines of the world in 2023.

And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks!